FORTHCOMING EVENTS

On the 11th June we were given a talk by Steve Spencer about the work done and the discoveries made at Hoghton Tower.  Following on from his talk we are planning a visit on 19th September for a guided tour of the Tower.

As well as a fantastic building, the gardens around Hoghton Tower are lovely and worth a look so if you are attending the guided tour arrive early so you have plenty of time to enjoy them. There is also a cafe on site for those who arrive early and need a "top up" before the tour at 2pm.

As a Society, we want to make the tour a huge success so that we can replicate an in-depth study of an historic site in our area as an annual event.

Please confirm with the society at landcasociety@gmail.com if you are intending to attend the tour so that we can give Hoghton Tower an idea of numbers.

More information about the Tower can be found on their website.

Hoghton Tower is an historic landmark in Preston, Lancashire.  This talk will be given  by Steve Spencer follows on from an article he wrote in Transactions 114.  Our Researtch Grant in 2024 was awarded to Jane Smith for her work on the project which sought to deepen our understanding of the North Entrance to the tower where it is believed a chapel predating 1565 once stood.  The talk will report of the findings of that project.  

This Zoom talk promises to provide an in-depth look at the fascinating history of Hoghton Tower, with a special focus on the previously unexamined north entrance. Jane Smith's research, funded partly by the society, has unearthed intriguing details about the chapel that once stood there, shedding new light on the architectural and religious significance of the site during the pre-1565 period. It will be an excellent opportunity for members to gain insights into the latest findings and developments in the study of Hoghton Tower's rich heritage.

This talk is to be followed by a visit to the Tower in September to get an even better feel for the history.  We then plan further zoom talk in October to discuss with Steve in greater detail what we have learned from the talk and the visit.

This a quite a new approach for LCAS and if successful we plan to have more in depth studies of historical or archaeological plces of interest.

Following on from our tour of Hoghton Tower, Steve Spencer will be giving us a zoom talk about the tour and answering any questions about the visit. He will also be giving us an insight into Ancient Graffiti found in the tower.

The Tyldesleys - Rebels With A Cause

Anne is a member of our society and has a published book Thomas Tyldesley and the Lancashire Plot.

Her talk in November traces the trials and tribulations of five generations of the Myerscough branch of the Tyldesley family. From the civil wars through to the last Jacobite rebellion, this Catholic family were unwavering in their support of the Stuart dynasty and risked everything for the cause.

Elizabeth and Ruth

Livi Michael is an award-winning writer of books for adults, young adults and children. Her short stories have been widely published in various places including Granta, The Lonely Crowd and the Manchester Review. Her play, Singers Not Sinners was performed in Oldham in 2022. She has taught creative writing in various universities and was Programme Leader of the MA in Publishing at Manchester Mertropolitan University.

The talk in December is about her latest book entitled Elizabeth and Ruth, to be released on the 9th February 2026 by Salt Publishing.

"Manchester 1849. Elizabeth Gaskell, newly famous author of Mary Barton, visits a young Irish prostitute in Manchester's New Bailey prison. The girl is about to be discharged onto the Manchester streets, where her old life of poverty and violence await her. Elizabeth is determined to help her, but few people will employ an ex-prostitute from prison. In desperation, Elizabeth writes to Charles Dickens for advice."

Based on real correspondence between Elizabeth Gaskell and Charles Dickens, Elizabeth and Ruth tells a story of hypocrisy and suppression, and how Elizabeth navigates the censorship and prejudice of the day to help the young girl and to write the novel about her that will ultimately be banned and burned after publication.